You missed my point. Let me put it this way, if Perkins was on the Raptors roster last year, would you consider him a top 10 center? I think not. Would we as fans value him more than Bargnani? Maybe, and that's your point which I understand. But the topic is not about what makes a center more valuble, offence or defence. Top 10 centers are on winning teams in which most or all of the players on the team play above average defence. If Bargnani was on Boston and put up the SAME numbers his rank on the list of centers would skyrocket. If Perkins were to be on the Raptors and put up the same numbers, he wouldn't smell the top 20.

This is why I find it tough to rank players, especially centers. What I'm saying is, it depends on the team. Dwight Howard (imo) has a terrible post game (it is getting better) but he is surrounded by pure offensive ability (Lewis, Carter, etc.) and scoring is not Orlando's problem, so no one cares. So he is probably atop the list because of his great defence. But the Raptors problem is defence, and Bargnani doesn't provide that well, so he falls drastically.

I don't feel it's fair to bash him (this much) when he plays on a team where our best defender is probably a rookie (Davis).

Why wouldn't Perkins have been considered a top 10 center if he were on the Raptors? In fact, away from Boston, he'd probably look better because he wouldn't be overshadowed by Garnett and company. If he were on the Raptors, I'm pretty sure their defense would have been a lot better and he would have been responsible for that. Perkins, no matter what team he is on, is an excellent defender and rebounder and pretty good scoring around the basket.

Why wouldn't Perkins have been considered a top 10 center if he were on the Raptors? In fact, away from Boston, he'd probably look better because he wouldn't be overshadowed by Garnett and company. If he were on the Raptors, I'm pretty sure their defense would have been a lot better and he would have been responsible for that. Perkins, no matter what team he is on, is an excellent defender and rebounder and pretty good scoring around the basket.

Being overshadowed is exactly one of my points. There would be more light on him on the Raptors and as they continue to produce L's we look at Perkins as a player who cannot score on his own and is a liability on offence.

He is not pretty good at scoring around the basket, unless he is wide open and gets a perfect pass from Rondo.

And one player does not make a poor defence team become a top 5 defence team in the league (especially Perkins). Bringing a player (i.e Garnett) can spark a team with already solid defenders, to play more intense defence. Perkins will not make Calderon a defencive stopper, or make him look anything like that.

Plus if we gave Perkins for Bargnani, I'd say we'd be last in defence AND offence.

Just something, Bargs had MANY blocks on guards running in for dunks and lay-ups. Just saying.

I disagree. I'd say Bargnani was more reliable at getting out of the way of slashers, giving up on plays, and not challenging inside dunks and shots nearly as well or often as a center should than getting "MANY blocks." That is why many players attack him and he gets into foul trouble so often.

I disagree. I'd say Bargnani was more reliable at getting out of the way of slashers, giving up on plays, and not challenging inside dunks and shots nearly as well or often as a center should than getting "MANY blocks." That is why many players attack him and he gets into foul trouble so often.

Bargs averaged 1.4 blocks a game. That's more than Horford and Shaq. He also blocked slashers ALOT. And about him getting into foul trouble "often", he only got into foul trouble when he got lazy, giving out stupid fouls. And just to let you know, he averaged 2.7 fouls in 35 minutes. Go check how other centers managed.

Bargs averaged 1.4 blocks a game. That's more than Horford and Shaq. He also blocked slashers ALOT. And about him getting into foul trouble "often", he only got into foul trouble when he got lazy, giving out stupid fouls. And just to let you know, he averaged 2.7 fouls in 35 minutes. Go check how other centers managed.

Of course Horford is a MUCH better defender than Bargnani, so that tells you something about how much indication blocks are of how good a defender a player is. Bargnani would get a block every now and then, but he also, more often than not, would fail to prevent a score inside by rotating late, or not at all.

Being overshadowed is exactly one of my points. There would be more light on him on the Raptors and as they continue to produce L's we look at Perkins as a player who cannot score on his own and is a liability on offence.

He is not pretty good at scoring around the basket, unless he is wide open and gets a perfect pass from Rondo.

And one player does not make a poor defence team become a top 5 defence team in the league (especially Perkins). Bringing a player (i.e Garnett) can spark a team with already solid defenders, to play more intense defence. Perkins will not make Calderon a defencive stopper, or make him look anything like that.

Plus if we gave Perkins for Bargnani, I'd say we'd be last in defence AND offence.

Well, first of all, Perkins is certainly not a liability on offense. Last season, he averaged double figures in scoring while being second in the league in FG%. Sure, he's not going to create much on offense, but he's got good hands and a pretty soft touch around the basket.

And I'm not saying he's going to turn the team into a top 5 defensive team. He's certainly going to bring improvement, though. Having a true defensive big man does wonders for a team's defense. A team can cover a poor defensive guard far easier than a poor defensive big man. San Antonio has been one of the better defensive teams even with Tony Parker, who's not very good defensively, precisely because they have a solid defensive front court.

And I think you give far too much credit to Bargnani's offense. He's a good shooter for a big man, but he can't create for himself, doesn't move well without the ball and is a poor post player. He still needs someone to create for him.

Hell, per 36 mpg, Bargnani only scored 4 more ppg than Perkins last season. I really don't think the offense would suffer that much, but the improvement on defense would be fairly big.

Well, first of all, Perkins is certainly not a liability on offense. Last season, he averaged double figures in scoring while being second in the league in FG%. Sure, he's not going to create much on offense, but he's got good hands and a pretty soft touch around the basket.

And I'm not saying he's going to turn the team into a top 5 defensive team. He's certainly going to bring improvement, though. Having a true defensive big man does wonders for a team's defense. A team can cover a poor defensive guard far easier than a poor defensive big man. San Antonio has been one of the better defensive teams even with Tony Parker, who's not very good defensively, precisely because they have a solid defensive front court.

And I think you give far too much credit to Bargnani's offense. He's a good shooter for a big man, but he can't create for himself, doesn't move well without the ball and is a poor post player. He still needs someone to create for him.

Hell, per 36 mpg, Bargnani only scored 4 more ppg than Perkins last season. I really don't think the offense would suffer that much, but the improvement on defense would be fairly big.

"True defensive big man" is that like the opposite of a "false defensive big man"?

If it is, would you then say that Bargnani is a "false defensive big man"?

Of course Horford is a MUCH better defender than Bargnani, so that tells you something about how much indication blocks are of how good a defender a player is. Bargnani would get a block every now and then, but he also, more often than not, would fail to prevent a score inside by rotating late, or not at all.

Yeah, I mentioned the Horford thing earlier It pretty much proved your point on how blocks are overrated on defence. But still, I like him averaging 1.4 blocks :P HAHA. He got lazy many times, mostly in 4th quarters or after long stretches of play, and that's something he seriously needs to work on, because he'll be playing ALOT of minutes next year, but this time he'll have to put 100% effort for all 35 minutes.

"True defensive big man" is that like the opposite of a "false defensive big man"?

If it is, would you then say that Bargnani is a "false defensive big man"?

Could you please define what a "true defensive big man" is?

Thanks

I big man who can anchor the defense. He can play both man and team defense at a high level. Amir Johnson is a good defensive player, but he still has trouble against the stronger big men because he can't hold them off. I've no doubt that will change as he gets older and stronger. I see Ed Davis as having the potential to anchor a defense eventually, but like Johnson, needs to get bigger and stronger.

I big man who can anchor the defense. He can play both man and team defense at a high level. Amir Johnson is a good defensive player, but he still has trouble against the stronger big men because he can't hold them off. I've no doubt that will change as he gets older and stronger. I see Ed Davis as having the potential to anchor a defense eventually, but like Johnson, needs to get bigger and stronger.

So according to your definition a team can have multiple true defensive big men like Johnson and Davis might become.

Sorry Mr GQ you are going to have to find a another tag to describe your game "True Offensive Big Man". That would be very nice.